Numerous objects made by nature and by man can demonstrate interesting collective effects that are not observed in those objects when in isolation. For example, a set of lenses, refractive crystals, or magnets can be arranged in such a way as to produce phenomena not observed for any one member of the set, and different arrangements of such elements can reveal different collective effects. While numerous stands or mounts for individual elements are available, tools for the study or instruction of such collective effects are lacking.
Attempts have been made to provide devices that provide instructional tools for the collective behavior of multiple elements. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 6,382,982 discloses a device that permits arrangement of various optical elements in different ways in order to study their combined effects. The disclosed devices, however, arrange such optical elements along a linear track, and do not provide for the study of more complex, three dimensional arrangements. U.S. Pat. No. 2,716,292 discloses another instructional device that utilizes a series of planar plastic sheets to support spherical elements that represent atoms. The device is adaptable to display a variety of three dimensional crystal lattice structures. The disclosed elements, however, are not interactive, and if they were the closed arrangement of supportive material between the elements could potentially interfere with their interactions.
Devices that can provide relatively complex three dimensional structures, such as those disclosed in International Patent Application No. WO 02/055168A1 and International Patent Application No WO2008061359A1, are also known. The devices disclosed in these applications provide modular components that can be assembled into three dimensional structural shapes that include open regions. Similarly, U.S. Pat. No. 7,780,499 discloses a set of modular components that utilize complementary and reversible connectors to form complex three dimensional shapes. The suitability of such structures for securing and protecting objects, however, is not clear.
While the above cited art discusses various aspects of securing interactive instructional elements and in providing support for complex three dimensional structures, they each fail to provide a desired level of support, safety, and interactivity to support their use as instructional tools for learning about the collective actions of interactive elements oriented in three dimensions. Thus, there is still a need for improved modular frames for supporting, orienting, and safely protecting such elements.